* * *
Reykjavik airport was small, although between the slowing of my heart rate and the elation that I had survived a short time in the air inside what was little more than a technologically enhanced tin can, and the argument that was ensuing between Maxwell Callaghan and Victoria Davies, I didn’t have much chance to appreciate it.
“How the fuck did your insanely small brain think this was a good idea?” Victoria didn’t bother to keep her words discrete.
“How long before they get arrested?” Seph muttered from behind my shoulder.
I’d made good use of him and ensured he was carrying my case.
Max pushed his hands inside his jeans pockets and broadened out his shoulders. “We liked the idea of an Iceland holiday. Lots to do. Different.”
Victoria prodded his chest and I had a feeling there was a fair bit of force behind it.
“Really? I quite agree. Hot springs, whale watching, the Northern Lights. dog sledding. It was a genius idea of your sister-in-law’s.” She pointed at Vanessa.
Vanessa and Jackson had been married for almost two years. Arguably, Van should’ve done more to persuade Jackson not to have organised his older brother’s stag party for the same place and time as Victoria’s, but I doubted Jackson would’ve listened.
“And given how busy we’ve both been,” Max bravely put his hands on Victoria’s hips, “I thought it was a good chance we could spend some time together before the madness of getting married begins.” He smiled, the gruff, utterly charming smile he’d perfected and one that did not work on Victoria.
She grabbed his wrists and threw his hands off her hips and away.
“There may not be a wedding, Maxwell. This is a serious breach of trust.” She walked away and grabbed her case. “If you’re staying at the same resort as we are, we’d better not have the same bedroom.”
He paled slightly.
I turned to Seph. “Tell me none of us are sharing rooms.”
“Apparently I’m not sharing with Max.”
“He’s going to love that.”
“Why does no one think about what I love on these occasions?” Seph’s petulant tone could almost be deemed cute.
I backhanded him in the stomach. “You’re the youngest and a parasite. And I have the sneakiest feeling you knew full-well exactly how this was going to work out.”
He laughed. “It’ll be fine. Max will pull some romantic gesture that turns us all slightly nauseous because it’s out of character. She’ll ignore him; he’ll stomp off in a huff and then they’ll cause some form of earthquake through having wild make up sex that we’ll need therapy to get over.” He shrugged. “Then you and I can get creative and out do them.”
This time it was me who laughed. “Not happening. Ever. You’re too young for me and aren’t you sleeping with half the female population of Borough Market?”
“Nope. Longest dry spell I’ve ever had. Fancy ending it for me?”
“Nope. Your youth and persistence only turns me off.”
“Damn, Sophie. Cut a man down.”
“You’ll get over it.” And he would. We’d been having the same scripted banter for too long. Two of the only singletons in our group, other than the Callaghan’s cousins and Amelie, the childhood friend of Max and Jackson, sometimes at the end of the night we were only left with each other and a shot of tequila, because Seph was right, he was having a self-imposed dry spell, and I’d sworn off men.
I watched as Max shrugged and headed over to Jackson and Callum, his other brother and Shay Green, his step cousin. There were a few slaps on his back, Killian and Nick O’Hara saying something I couldn’t make out.
“Better go and join the boys.” Seph squeezed my shoulder. “I think arriving at the hotel at the same time might be a mistake.”
“Quite possibly.”
“Time to play!” Jacob’s voice matched his grin. He was Victoria’s best friend and knew more about cocktails and how to give an outstanding blow job than anyone else I knew. “Leave them to it. All will be well – will be where we’re going anyway.” He smiled, pulling a still irritated Vic into his chest. “Time to check out our home for the next five nights.”
* * *
We weren’t staying in Reykjavik at all. It had been mooted as the city had plenty to offer, but a few of us had been before and the amount there was to do elsewhere was too much, especially as we planned to spend plenty of time in the hot springs.
